Former Atlanta Police Officer Sentenced to 12-Year Prison Term on Drug Trafficking and Corruption Charges

Lucius T. Solomon III, the disgraced former Atlanta police officer who pleaded guilty in September to corruption and drug trafficking charges was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison Thursday.

United States District Judge Richard W. Story also ordered Solomon, 32, to five years of supervised release following the prison term and 200 hours community service.

Federal prosecutors charged Solomon agreed to provide protection for people he believed to be drug dealers in cocaine deals on three seperate occasions.

In each case, Solomon agreed to provide the protection for $2,000, and in two of those instances, did so while on duty in his police uniform and in his police vehicle.

Solomon worked in the Atlanta Police Department's Zone 6, an area that includes the East Atlanta, Edgewood, East Lake and Kirkwood neighborhoods.

"The public simply must have confidence in its police officers," Atlanta Police Chief George Turner said in a statement.

"While I believe this incident is not indicative of the vast majority of hardworking, honest and dedicated officers out there on the streets of Atlanta day in and day out, today's sentence sends a strong message to those who would stray from their mission to uphold and enforce the law."